Rotating sealing sleeve of elastic material especially for driving joints of motor vehicles

ABSTRACT

A rotating sealing sleeve made from elastic material and intended in particular for drive joints of motor vehicles, which includes a collar of smaller diameter for the fastening at the shaft element and a collar of larger diameter for the fastening at the joint part; the collar area for the mounting of a clamping band includes outwardly a boundary collar and inwardly a relief groove which is adjoined inwardly by a further boundary collar; the width of the clamping band is thereby so selected in relation to the clamping area that the relief groove is at least partially covered thereby; the elastic sleeve may be of the type which includes a deformation part provided adjacent each collar area in the sleeve body which consists of one diaphragm part or of two diaphragm parts connected by a short spacer section; the two deformation parts are connected with each other by a relatively large and stiff spacer section.

EJited States atent Schafer Sept. 5, 1972 [54] ROTATING SEALING SLEEVEOF ELASTIC MATERIAL ESPECIALLY FOR DRIVING JOINTS OF MOTOR VEHICLES LutzSchafer, Suttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany [73] Assignee: Daimler-BenzAktiengesellschaft,

Stuttgart-Unlerlurkheim, Germany [22] Filed: Dec. 17, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 99,091

[72] Inventor:

[51] Int. Cl ..Fl6d 3/84 [58] Field of Search ..64/32; 277/212 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Dunn ..64/ 32 F 3,511,061 5/1970Burckhardt ..64/32 F Primary Examiner-Edward G. Favors Att0rney-Craig &Antonelli 57] ABSTRACT A rotating sealing sleeve made from elasticmaterial and intended in particular for drive joints of motor vehicles,which includes a collar of smaller diameter for the fastening at theshaft element and a collar of larger diameter for the fastening at thejoint part; the collar area for the mounting of a clamping band includesoutwardly a boundary collar and inwardly a relief groove which isadjoined inwardly by a further boundary collar; the width of theclamping band is thereby so selected in relation to the clamping areathat the relief groove is at least partially covered thereby; theelastic sleeve may be of the type which includes a deformation partprovided adjacent each collar area in the sleeve body which consists ofone diaphragm part or of two diaphragm parts connected by a short spacersection; the two deformation parts are connected with each other by arelatively large and stiff spacer section.

14 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTE D 5 I973 3 688 523 INV ENTOR LUTZSCHAFER ATTORNEYS ROTATING SEALING SLEEVE OF ELASTIC MATERIAL ESPECIALLYFOR DRIVING JOINTS OF MOTOR VEHICLES The present invention relates to arotating sealing sleeve made from elastic material, intended inparticular for drive joints of motor vehicles, with a collar of smallerdiameter for the fastening at the shaft member and with a collar oflarger diameter for the fastening at the joint part, and especiallyaccording to U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,061, to M. H. Burckhardt, assigned tothe assignee of the present invention, with a deformation part providedin the sleeve body adjacent each collar place, which consists of one ortwo diaphragm parts disposed approximately normal to the axis andconnected with each other by a short spacer section, whereby bothdeformation parts are in operative connection with each other by arelatively large and stiff spacer section.

Sealing sleeves of the type broadly described above are known in themost varied types of constructions. Frequently, the sleeve body consistsof a rubber bellows formed saw-tooth-shaped in cross section, whichincludes two clamping places at its two ends. These prior art sleeveshapes and configurations, however, are unable to withstand inparticular higher rotational speeds, but instead they rather tend totearing in the sleeve body. Consequently, a sealing sleeve has beenproposed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,061, which isconstructed in the manner described in the patent and which no longerproduces any tears in the sleeve body also at high rotational speeds.Nonetheless, with all of these described sleeve shapes, there stillexists the difficulty that after some time, they tend frequently toincipient cracks or breaks or ruptures at the clamping place. Thisapparently is due to the fact that the clamping band cuts more or lessinto the full material at the clamping place and consequently theseplaces form the starting point for such cracks and ruptures.

The present invention is concerned with the task to avoid theaforementioned disadvantages and to provide a sealing sleeve that nolonger gives rise to any objections also at the clamping places. Theunderlying problems are solved for the types of sleeves mentionedhereinabove and especially for those types of sleeves described in theU.S. Pat. No. 3,511,061, in that at the collar place for the mounting ofthe clamping band, a boundary collar is arranged outwardly thereof(opposite the sleeve body) and a relief groove is arranged inwardlythereof (facing the sleeve body) which is also adjoined by a boundarycollar, whereby the width of the clamping band is so selected that therelief groove is at least covered substantially.

In this manner, the clamping band can no longer cut into the solidmaterial but instead the material is correspondingly set back at thisplace so that no cuts or tears can occur any longer thereat. As a resultthereof, these types of sleeves in accordance with the present inventionare also fully able to withstand higher rotational speeds duringcontinuous operation.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the fact that theinner boundary collar is the thinner, the flatter the relief groove.Furthermore, the present invention can be further developed in that theabutment surface for the clamping band is constructed of undulated shapein longitudinal cross section. In this manner, a higher stress occursduring the tightening of the clamping band at the places of contact thanat the endangered clamping band edges. This also counteracts the tearingand cracking at this edge. The relief groove can thereby beincorporated, so to speak of, in the undulated construction of theabutment surface whereby the present invention proposes that the reliefgroove is lower than the depth of the waves or undulations within thisabutment area.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide asealing sleeve which avoids by simple means the aforementionedshortcomings and drawbacks encountered in the prior art.

Another object of the present invention resides in a rotating sealingsleeve made from elastic material, especially intended for drive jointsof motor vehicles which are capable of operating satisfactorily at highspeeds without the danger of cracking, tearing, or rupturing at theclamping places thereof.

These and further objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following description whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, forpurposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, and wherein:

FIGS. 1 to 3 are partial longitudinal cross-sectional views throughthree different embodiments of the collar of a sealing sleeve inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a sealing sleeve inaccordance with the present invention, arranged at a joint.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are usedthroughout the various views to designate like parts, and moreparticularly to FIG. 1, a sealing sleeve body 10 not illustrated indetail and of any conventional construction, such as shown, for example,in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,061which is more or less deflected duringoperation in the direction of arrow Aterminates in a clamping place 11,by means of which it is secured at the joint part (not shown). Aclamping band 12 of any conventional construction serves for thefastening, which abuts externally against a boundary collar 13 and whichduring tightening compresses the abutment surface 14 to approximatelythe position thereof indicated in dash line. A relief groove 17 isarranged inwardly adjacent the abutment surface 14 which in turn isadjoined by a further boundary collar 16.

The relief groove 17 is covered by the clamping band 12-which is widerthan its abutment surface 14so that the clamping band 12 can abut atboth boundary collars 13 and 16.

The construction according to FIG. 2 corresponds essentially to thataccording to FIG. 1. However, the relief groove 17a is now constructedsomewhat flatter and the inner boundary rim 16a is correspondinglyconstructed also somewhat thinner.

According to FIG. 3, the collar place 11 of the sleeve 10 is againprovided on both sides with boundary collars l3 and 16. The abutmentsurface 18 for the clamping band 12 is now constructed of undulated orwave shape. This wave-shaped construction terminates directly in therelief groove 19 adjacent the boundary rim 16, which relief groove 19has a considerably larger depth than corresponds to the depth of theundulations at the abutment surface 18. During the tightening of theclamping band 12, the wave-shaped projections in the abutment surface 18are compressed. As a result of the larger stresses produced therebywithin the area of the abutment surface 18, the relief groove 19 can bekept flatter. The number of undulated projections within the area of theabutment surface 18 will be appropriately the larger the wider theabutment surface.

FIG. 4 shows a sealing sleeve 10 arranged at a drive joint of a motorvehicle, with a collar of a smaller diameter for the fastening at theshaft member 21 and with a collar of larger diameter for fastening atthe joint part 22. As shown, the sleeve is provided with a deformationpart provided in the sleeve body adjacent each collar place, whichcollar is similar to that of the FIG. 1 embodiment of the presentinvention. The deformation part consists of either two diaphragm parts23 and 24 connected with each other by a short spacer section 25 shownadjacent the collar fastened to the shaft or a single diaphragm part 27,the diaphragm parts being disposed approximately normal to the axis ofthe sleeve. The diaphragm parts are in operative connection with eachother by a relatively large and stiff spacer section 26.

While I have shown and described several embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, it is understood that the same is not limitedthereto, but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications asknown to those skilled in the art, and I therefore do not wish to belimited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to coverall such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A rotating sealing sleeve with a sleeve body of elastic materialwhich includes a collar means for the fastening at a respective part,characterized in that said collar means is provided within the collararea for the abutment of a clamping band, outwardly thereof with aboundary collar disposed opposite the sleeve body and inwardly thereofwith a relief groove facing the sleeve body, said relief groove in turnbeing adjoined by a further boundary collar, the width of the clampingband being such that the relief groove is covered at least in part.

2. A sealing sleeve according to claim I, characterized in that theinner boundary collar is the thinner the flatter the relief groove.

3. A sealing sleeve according to claim 2, characterized in that theabutment surface for the clamping band is of undulated shape inlongitudinal cross section and in that the relief groove is deeper thanthe depth of the undulations in the abutment surface of the clampingband.

4. A sealing sleeve according to claim 1, characterized in that theabutment surface for the clamping band is of undulated shape inlongitudinal cross section and in that the relief groove is deeper thanthe depth of the undulations in the abutment surface of the clampingband.

5. A rotating sealing sleeve made from elastic material with a collar ofrelatively smaller diameter for the fastening at a shaft element andwith a collar of relativel l ar er diameter for the fastening at a jointpart, Wl'llC mc ude deformation means ad acent each collar area, saiddeformation means including at least one diaphragm part disposedapproximately perpendicular to the axis of the rotating sleeve,characterized in that a boundary collar is provided externally of acollar area for the mounting of a clamping band and in that a reliefgroove is provided inwardly of said collar area, another boundary collaradjoining said relief groove inwardly thereof, and in that the width ofthe clamping band is selected in such a manner that the relief groove iscovered at least in part.

6. A sealing sleeve according to claim 5, characterized in that thedeformation means consists of two diaphragm parts connected with eachother by a spacer means.

7. A sealing sleeve according to claim 6, characterized in that the twodeformation means adjacent the two collar areas are operativelyconnected with each other by a relatively large and stiff spacer means.

8. A sealing sleeve according to claim 7, characterized in that thesleeve seals the space between a drive joint and a drive shaft of amotor vehicle.

9. A sealing sleeve according to claim 8, characterized in that theinner boundary collar is the thinner the flatter the relief groove.

10. A sealing sleeve according to claim 8, characterized in that theabutment surface for the clamping band is of undulated shape inlongitudinal cross section, and in that the relief groove is deeper thanthe depth of the undulations in the abutment surface of the clampingband.

11. A sealing sleeve according to claim 5, characterized in that the twodeformation means adjacent the two collar areas are operativelyconnected with each other by a relatively large and stiff spacer means.

12. A sealing sleeve according to claim 5, characterized in that thesleeve seals the\space between a drive joint and a drive shaft of amotorvehicle.

13. A sealing sleeve according to claim 5, characterized in that theinner boundary collar is the thinner the flatter the relief groove.

14. A sealing sleeve according to claim 5, characterized in that theabutment surface for the clamping band is of undulated shape inlongitudinal cross section, and in that the relief groove is deeper thanthe depth of the undulations in the abutment surface of the clampingband.

1. A rotating sealing sleeve with a sleeve body of elastic materialwhich includes a collar means for the fastening at a respective part,characterized in that said collar means is provided within the collararea for the abutment of a clamping band, outwardly thereof with aboundary collar disposed opposite the sleeve body and inwardly thereofwith a relief groove facing the sleeve body, said relief groove in turnbeing adjoined by a further boundary collar, the width of the clampingband being such that the relief groove is covered at least in part.
 2. Asealing sleeve according to claim 1, characterized in that the innerboundary collar is the thinner the flatter the relief groove.
 3. Asealing sleeve according to claim 2, characterized in that the abutmentsurface for the clamping band is of undulated shape in longitudinalcross section and in that the relief groove is deeper than the depth ofthe undulations in the abutment surface of the clamping band.
 4. Asealing sleeve according to claim 1, characterized in that the abutmentsurface for the clamping band is of undulated shape in longitudinalcross section and in that the relief groove is deeper than the depth ofthe undulations in the abutment surface of the clamping band.
 5. Arotating sealing sleeve made from elastic material with a collar ofrelatively smaller diameter for the fastening at a shaft element andwith a collar of relatively larger diameter for the fastening at a jointpart, which include deformation means adjacent each collar area, saiddeformation means including at least one diaphragm part disposedapproximately perpendicular to the axis of the rotating sleeve,characterized in that a boundary collar is provided externally of acollar area for the mounting of a clamping band and in that a reliefgroove is provided inwardly of said collar area, another boundary collaradjoining said relief groove inwardly thereof, and in that the width ofthe clamping band is selected in such a manner that the relief groove iscovered at least in part.
 6. A sealing sleeve according to claim 5,characterized in that the deformation means consists of two diaphragmparts connected with Each other by a spacer means.
 7. A sealing sleeveaccording to claim 6, characterized in that the two deformation meansadjacent the two collar areas are operatively connected with each otherby a relatively large and stiff spacer means.
 8. A sealing sleeveaccording to claim 7, characterized in that the sleeve seals the spacebetween a drive joint and a drive shaft of a motor vehicle.
 9. A sealingsleeve according to claim 8, characterized in that the inner boundarycollar is the thinner the flatter the relief groove.
 10. A sealingsleeve according to claim 8, characterized in that the abutment surfacefor the clamping band is of undulated shape in longitudinal crosssection, and in that the relief groove is deeper than the depth of theundulations in the abutment surface of the clamping band.
 11. A sealingsleeve according to claim 5, characterized in that the two deformationmeans adjacent the two collar areas are operatively connected with eachother by a relatively large and stiff spacer means.
 12. A sealing sleeveaccording to claim 5, characterized in that the sleeve seals the spacebetween a drive joint and a drive shaft of a motor vehicle.
 13. Asealing sleeve according to claim 5, characterized in that the innerboundary collar is the thinner the flatter the relief groove.
 14. Asealing sleeve according to claim 5, characterized in that the abutmentsurface for the clamping band is of undulated shape in longitudinalcross section, and in that the relief groove is deeper than the depth ofthe undulations in the abutment surface of the clamping band.